Startups should prioritize generating revenue as early as possible to ensure they can survive in uncertain conditions, which is a key aspect of being 'default alive'.

As a CEO, my priority is to not run out of money, and equally important is to be the keeper of the vision, constantly rearticulating where we're going and why.

Survival is the name of the game for hardware startups; you need to focus on staying alive before you can innovate.

After raising money, many startups forget how to be scrappy and creative, which is often essential for success in the early stages.

When a startup is losing money, it's essentially a wealth transfer from investors to consumers, and only a few companies will successfully navigate this situation by being very smart about their finances.

In the early stages, it's important to be cautious with spending and have a plan to reach profitability, even if you're reinvesting revenue into growth.

Startups should focus on being 'default alive', meaning they should aim to survive without needing to raise more money.

To survive in an organic growth business, you need to break even quickly, often by consulting or generating revenue from clients from day one.

As a CEO, I constantly think about how to effectively grow and scale the company, and I want to share some advice on raising money for startups.